“Fashion Is Art”: What the 2026 Met Gala Theme Means

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has revealed the theme and dress code for the 2026 Met Gala, confirming that the May 4 event will center on the concept “Fashion Is Art.”

The theme encourages guests to treat clothing as a form of artistic expression, exploring how fashion interacts with painting, sculpture, performance and other visual disciplines.

According to reporting by Vogue, the accompanying Costume Institute exhibition will pair hundreds of fashion pieces with artworks drawn from across the museum’s collection, spanning thousands of years of cultural history.

The display is designed to highlight how clothing has both influenced and reflected artistic traditions over time, blurring the boundaries between fashion and fine art.

The exhibition will be curated by Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute’s longtime curator, and will be presented in the museum’s Condé M. Nast Galleries. The show is expected to examine different representations of the dressed body in art, including figures and perspectives that have historically received less attention.

The gala will once again be led by Anna Wintour, with co-chairs Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams. The announcement follows last year’s theme, which focused on tailored style and cultural identity, continuing the Met Gala’s role as a platform where fashion, culture and artistic ideas intersect.